Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-08-29
Our Public Building.

| The New Age returns to the question this
J week in new series of Misrepresentation
In referring to the Boston, New York and
st. Louis post offices, it says they were built
by day labor, the government contracting for
the material and building by day labor the
| superstructure. These post offices were
built under the old law, where the govern
ment purchased by contract the materials,
| contracting with the lowest bidder, the con-
tractor furnishing the labor required and
returning to the government at cost, and the
government allowing him 10 per cent profit
on the labor. The Boston post office was
built by that great Massachusetts democrat,
Mr. Jonas II. French under a republican
| administration, he being the lowest bidder.
Now, in the case of the Augusta post office,
1t did not say in its invitation that if a repub-
lican was the lowest bidder his bid should be
rejected, but because republican happened
to be the lowest bidder, the New Age Instant
ly proclaimed that the bid would be rejected,
and now asserts that the Treasury Depart
ment has carried out its wishes. This is the
most open-faced method of prosttutng
public work for partisan ends, that ever oc-
Cured In this country; and we respectfully
inform Mr. Plaisted that the Hallowell
Granite Company and the republicans can
stand this if the present administration can.
Why, the New Age boldly proclams that no
matter what the expense may be, it makes no
difference, although the public building can
be well built and at much less sum by
awarding it to the lowest bidder, it shall not
be so built if few more democratic votes
crl be gained if it is built by the day, and
none but Democrats employed. Mr.. Plaisted
if this is civil service reform, the public will
| be glad to know it.
The cry that the Hallowell Granite Com
pany discharged its employees because they
dii not vote the republican ticket, is as false
as the proposed prostitution of the public
service is infamous. We have taken pains
to examine and inquire into the matter, and
We assert that Mr.. Mark Douglas was never
discharged from the HailowelI Granite Com
/
| iallowell Granite Company never intertered
with the politics of any of its employees, as
the thousands that have been employed can
willingly testify Moreover, the Hallowell
Granite Company is a private corporation,
with the absolute right to employ whom it
pleases, and if it should use any of the means
int!mated by the New Age it is amenable to
the law.
The New Age asserts that half of the men
employed on the public building have been
republicans. Please give us their names,
Mr.. Plaisted. We know that the record will
not substsntate this statement Again, the
New Age says that more than nine tenthc of
the contracts for material have been given to
republicans. How this may be we dc not
know, but if they have been so given, it 10
| simply because the republicans were the
lowest responsible bidders in an open market.
All material has been purchased by propo
sails.
The journal is not wrought up to any
fever heat in behalf of Mr.. Bodwell or the
Hallowell Granite Company; neither is it at
all alarmed over the public building We
give Mr.. Plaisted due notice now, that the
republican city of Augusta cannot be swerved
from its republicanism by the prostitution of
the public service, no matter how infamous
it may be. We await with no anxiety. but \
good deal of curiosity, the outcome of our
public building.